OCCI presents distance learning to 31,000 SMEs

MUSCAT: Over 31,000 SMEs have a chance to take advantage of a new e-learning initiative spearheaded by the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Omantel.

The initiative utilises Omantel’s technologies to give lectures to different groups of SMEs simultaneously across different Omani governorates.

The first step of the programme used a video conference setting to hold a digital marketing lecture in the OCCI chapters in Muscat, Sohar, Salalah, and Ibra.

Abduladheem Al Bahrani, advisor to the OCCI board of directors and acting CEO, said, “This partnership takes advantage of Omantel’s technological solutions and makes it easier to reach out to SMEs across Oman and for them to also connect with one another.”

Laila Al Wahaibi, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Omantel, said: “We take part in start-ups and SMEs, as well as supporting the role of entrepreneurs in Oman who are just as important as major corporations.

“The SME sector is promising because it completes the job that larger companies start in diversifying the economy, and it provides job opportunities” she added.

The initiative’s first training programme, which started on September 9 and will last until September 12, “will focus on digital marketing via social media”, according to an OCCI statement.

Mohammed Al Qasmi, who is presenting this course, said: “The training will be about digital marketing, primarily the best ways to use social media to promote a product.

“We focus on WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and what techniques suit these platforms. We are broadcasting via Muscat to Sohar, Salalah, and Ibra. This is a new experience for us and thankfully seems successful because people are participating in the programmes live,” he added.

SMEs play an active role in many of Oman’s business sectors, which is why Omantel is also working to highlight their relationship to higher education.

H.E Abdullah al Sarmi, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Higher Education, told Times of Oman about SMEs: “SMEs in Oman have and should have a very active role in higher education. This is not to say that they educate students directly or hand out diplomas, but rather that the youth, who are closer to technology, are starting companies that play a supporting role to current colleges and universities and provide digital solutions that can raise the quality of education.

“Furthermore, students should expand their education so that they are constantly learning. Education should also be looking at the future to provide college students with the tools they need to innovate and start companies after they graduate, or to become more productive employees in existing companies,” he added.

Al Sarmi’s comments came just before the MENA Innovation Forum 2019, which will take place between 15-17 September to showcase new innovations in the field of higher education, with active participation from over 70 global companies as well as 5 Omani SMEs and 5 non-Omani SMEs.

According to the Public Authority for SME Development (Riyada), there were over 40,000 SMEs registered by the end of July 2019.